Lithium ion batteries describe a class of rechargeable batteries in which lithium ions move between a negative electrode (i.e., anode) and a positive electrode (i.e., cathode). Liquid and polymer electrolytes can facilitate the movement of lithium ions between the anode and cathode. Lithium-ion batteries are growing in popularity for defense, automotive, and aerospace applications due to their high energy density and ability to undergo successive charge and discharge cycles.
Lithium-based batteries are finding increasing usage in powering electric motors and other devices in automobiles and in powering other consumer devices. High energy-capacity lithium-ion batteries are required for use in powering electric motors for driving the wheels of an automobile, and in many such applications a multi-cell, high voltage, lithium-ion battery is used. The use of such batteries in such applications requires that the electrochemical cells of the battery are continually discharged and re-charged.